Gulmarg coldest at minus 5, Srinagar witness chilly night

Srinagar, Nov : The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, was coldest in the Kashmir valley after the minimum temperature witness a considerable drop and settled at minus 5 degree while summer capital, Srinagar, witnessed chilly and dark night after power supply was disrupted due to snowfall, first during November in nine year.
A Met department spokesman said here on Sunday afternoon that isolated rain or snow could occur in the Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours. However, weather will remain mainly dry during subsequent two days, he added.
After recording moderate to heavy snowfall for the past 36 hours, the mercury recorded major drop in Gulmarg, where world famous ski slopes are under a blanket of snow. The upper heights, including Khilanmarg, Kongdori and Affarwat, the highest skiing point connected through Gandola Cable Car (GCC) from base camp.
Spokesman said that due to snowfall, Gulmarg recorded coldest day and night of the winter season so far. The maximum temperature dipped and settled at minus 1.3 degree, 11 notches below normal. The famed tourist destination also witnessed coldest night after the minimum temperature plunged and settled at minus 5, seven notches below normal.
The summer capital, Srinagar, also recorded coldest night of November so far after the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 0.4 degree, two notches below normal after moderate snowfall yesterday. The city, where Civil Secretariat, seat of the government closed in summer capital, to reopen in winter capital, Jammu on Monday, witnessed snowfall in November after nine years.
Due to snowfall the electricity supply was snapped in the entire Kashmir valley, including Srinagar yesterday afternoon. However, in some areas power supply was restored this afternoon while others continued to suffer.
People alleged that administration, including Power Development Department (PDD) was taken unaware by snowfall.
The world famous health resort of Pahalgam, 100 km from here in south Kashmir also witnessed drop in the minimum temperature after about one feet of snowfall. It was 0.5 degree minimum temperature, 0.3 notch below normal. The upper heights, including holy Amarnath cave shrine and its periphery, Panjterni, Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top and traditional annual pilgrimage, also recorded light to moderate snowfall.